1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of automated biological testing and, more particularly, it relates to a device for housing dispensing continuous bands of space chemical reagent test strips to which samples are applied in the testing of biological specimens.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, segmented reagent test strips have been used for in vitro diagnostics to run several tests on a given specimen simultaneously. Such test strips having a plurality of test pads, each of which is treated with a different chemical reagent have been used to test biological specimens such as urine. Each pad and its associated chemical reagent is used to make a different chemical determination from a given sample. The reactions normally take less than a minute and the results are presented by a color change in the pad, which change can be detected optically.
Present means for housing urine chemistry test strips and the like involve the use of bottles, cans, boxes and other such containers which serve to prevent the chemical reagents on the strip pads from becoming contaminated or decomposing due to exposure to external contaminants. The strips are individually removed from the container and dipped in the sample by hand. To contamination problems and storage problems, this adds the possible problems associated with the technician contacting either the specimen or the pads directly, thus, interfering with the test results.